“Mad Men’s” Conrad Hilton Character: The Real Story From a Hilton Family Member

The creators of "Mad Men" delight in filling the show with period details, but it's usually in the form of a car or cologne brand or a pop-culture touchstone, like the Broadway musical "Bye Bye Birdie," which featured prominently in an episode early on this season. Lately, however, the historical references have become animate; in a clever storyline, ad man Don Draper lands the account for mega-rich hotelier Conrad Hilton. The version of Hilton on the show is that of a demanding, highly-driven, Stetson-wearing American tycoon -- a less eccentric Howard Hughes. But how closely does it resemble the real Conrad Hilton, who was born in New Mexico when the area was still a frontier territory, built a global hospitality fortune through shrewd deal-making and died a billionaire in 1979?

Speakeasy talked to Hilton's grandson, Steve Hilton, the president and CEO of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, a philanthropical organization based in Los Angeles (Hilton gave the bulk of his fortune to charity when he died). Although he was aware that his grandfather figured in the new season of "Mad Men" -- the producers reached out to Hilton Hotels for approval and to obtain research material -- Steve Hilton hadn't seen the show before we called. He watched a few episodes featuring "Connie," as Don Draper calls Hilton on the show, to compare the real and TV versions.

The Wall Street Journal: What do you think of the show’s characterization of your grandfather, Conrad Hilton?

Steve Hilton: I thought they captured his image -- his style of speaking, of walking, of being -- extremely well. They must have done their homework. Conrad Hilton grew up in a tiny little town in New Mexico, so he didn’t have that city sophistication. They captured that rugged, down-to-earth, very direct way of speaking.

Does the actor playing the role bear a physical resemblance to Hilton?

He does. In a passing way. They did a really good job of trying to capture Conrad Hilton. The way he looked, the way he dressed, the Stetson hat. That was part of his style, coming out of New Mexico.

Is there anything about the character that rings false?

The part where I didn’t think they captured his personality is where Don walks into his office and Conrad is sitting in Don’s chair. Everything I knew about Conrad, from being around him and talking to his close friends and business associates, there’s no way he would have walked into an executive's office and sat at that person’s desk. Especially in that era. It would have been considered disrespectful. It makes for a good story and gives a little edge to the show, but I think it was off-base.

The "Mad Men" character puts Don through his paces. Was Hilton demanding of employees?

He was demanding, but not in the way they’re depicting it. In one of the episodes, Conrad gets very upset because he asked Don for the moon in regards to an ad campaign. He tells Don: “You did not give me what I wanted. I’m greatly disappointed. When I say I want the moon, I want the moon.” Now you could interpret that in different ways. I’m assuming the show means literally, which makes him seem eccentric and imperious. But I do remember when I was a young boy we had a party at our house and the theme was the Lunar Hilton. It was all about putting a Hilton on the moon. There were posters of a hotel on the moon.

So a Hilton on the moon was a real company goal?

My take on it was symbolic: Hilton Hotels is spreading around the world, the future is so positive we can visualize there will someday be a Hilton on the moon.

Did people call your grandfather Connie, as Don does?

It depends on who was talking. His friends called him Connie, and maybe some of the executives. But mostly friends and family.

On the show, Conrad passes on bits of wisdom to Don. Did he give you any life advice?

When I was talking with him, it was fairly informal. It wasn’t like, here’s some wisdom for life. I would have been around 28 at the time he died, and my involvement was mostly at family events: Christmases, Thanksgiving, holidays. Occasionally, he would come to my family’s home. He lived in Bel Air, we lived in Santa Monica. But it wasn’t like a tight family.

What was your reaction when you heard your grandfather was getting the TV treatment?

I thought it was really cool the producers felt my grandfather, who passed away in 1979, was such a dynamic personality they would want to include his character in this show. I was excited and very proud.

Yet you hadn't seen any of the episodes before I called. Why?

I do watch TV, but not a lot. I tend to get to bed fairly early. What time is "Mad Men" on?